Danish Kaneria

Danish Kaneria is a former Pakistani cricketer who specialized as a right-arm leg spinner. He represented the Pakistan national team between 2000 and 2010, during which time he played 61 Test matches. His career included taking 261 Test wickets at an average of 34.79.

Early life and education

Danish Parabha Shankar Kaneria was born in Karachi, Sindh, on 16 December 1980. He is the son of Prabhashankarbhai Laljibhai Kaneria and Babita Prabhashankarbhai Kaneria. His ancestors migrated from Surat and established themselves in Karachi over a century ago. He belongs to the Gujarati ethnicity and identifies as a Hindu.

Kaneria attended St. Patrick's High School in Karachi. He later completed his education at the Government Islamia College. He is the second Hindu to represent Pakistan in international cricket, following his cousin Anil Dalpat.

Career

Kaneria began his first-class career in the 1998–99 season playing for National Shipping Corporation against HBL. Throughout his domestic career, he represented various teams including Habib Bank Limited, Karachi Zebras, and Essex County Cricket Club. He played 206 first-class matches and claimed 1,024 wickets at an average of 26.16. His performance included 71 five-wicket hauls and 12 instances where he took ten or more wickets in a single match.

He made his international debut as a leg-spinner in November 2000 against England at Faisalabad. During the 2001–02 Asian Test Championship, he recorded two six-wicket innings against Bangladesh. His best bowling performance in a Test match occurred against Bangladesh, where he took 12 wickets for 94 runs. He also achieved a career-best innings performance of seven wickets for 77 runs at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka.

In October 2003–04, Kaneria played a vital role during the South African tour of Pakistan. He took seven wickets for 111 runs at the Gaddafi Stadium and earned a man of the match award. Later, in October 2004, he secured ten wickets against Sri Lanka at the National Stadium in Karachi. This performance included a second-innings haul of seven wickets for 118 runs.

Kaneria's skill drew attention from international peers during his tenure. In January 2005, he took eight wickets in a match against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground. While Pakistan lost that match, Australian cricketer Shane Warne praised his bowling. During this specific game, Kaneria reached his milestone of 100 Test wickets.

His career faced significant controversy regarding allegations of spot fixing. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) issued him a lifetime ban from matches under their jurisdiction. He filed an appeal against this decision, but the rejection occurred in July 2013. In 2015, the ECB attempted to recover £250,000 from him with assistance from Pakistani authorities. In October 2018, Kaneria admitted to meeting a match fixer named Anu Bhatt, though he stated he was unaware of the man's true identity.

Personal life

Kaneria is known by the nicknames "Danny" and "Nani-Danny." He is a member of the Hindu community in Pakistan. His family roots trace back to Surat, India.

Awards and recognition

Kaneria earned several man of the match awards during his Test career. These honors followed his performances against Bangladesh and South Africa. He was also nominated for the ICC Test Player of the Year in 2005 due to his achievements during the previous year. The BBC once described him as a match-winner with his leg-breaks.